What makes Hong Kong unique? Is it Cantonese Opera, the Dragon Boat festival, Lion dancing, Wing Chun, snake wine or shrimp paste? It's a question that has been exercising minds at the Heritage Museum since 2006, when a special unit was created to identify aspects of Intangible Cultural Heritage under the auspices of a Unesco convention aimed at preserving local culture under threat around the world. The 482 elements, chosen in conjunction with the University of Science and Technology, provide a fascinating insight into how Hongkongers see their own culture. All the stories, videos, archive photos published on the city's intangible cultural heritage by the South China Morning Post, along with the Museum's entire list, can be found on the following pages.